Hebrews 5:6

‘As he also says in another place, “You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” ’

And this was confirmed by the psalm in which God said, ‘you are a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek’ (Psalms 110:4). Thus there could be no doubting His priestly credentials. The superiority of this position in Scriptural eyes will be established later.

To be such a priest was depicted in the Psalm as being a position of great honour. He is such a one as is set at the right hand of God with his enemies to be brought into submission (Hebrews 5:1; compare Hebrews 1:3). As such he will rule as priest-king (Hebrews 5:2), and as a result of taking His place at God’s right hand as priest-king he will bring kings into submission and the nations into judgment (Hebrews 5:5-6). The priest after the order of Melchizedek was seen as an important royal personage with a unique position which rendered him especially acceptable to God.

We should note here how easily the writer moves from ‘priest’ to ‘High Priest’. In his kingship Melchizedek was automatically ‘high priest’ in the eyes of his people.

‘In another place.’ A further example of the writer’s supreme trust in Scripture as the very words of God.